The principal aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a vehicle engine in the vehicle engine compartment when the engine is disconnected from its engine mounts, for example, for service or repair.
Repair of the transmission of a vehicle or the vehicle engine itself may often be effected while the engine remains in place in the engine compartment of the vehicle. In order to facilitate such repair or service, various devices have been developed to support the engine in the engine compartment during servicing. Typically, such devices comprise a framework of the various connected beams, which includes legs or supports mounted on the sides or lips of the engine compartment and/or on the radiator support at the front of the engine compartment. These beams generally include depending hangers such as hooks, chains or links, which connect to or engage the engine thereby enabling removal of the engine mounts and servicing of the engine or the transaxle or transmission of associated with the engine. Typical, of such engine hanger or support constructions is a product offered by Lisle Corporation of Clarinda, Iowa as its Model No. 25700 Engine Hanger. Numerous other engine hanger devices are available in the marketplace. For example, SPX Corporation of Owatonna, Minn. offers an engine support bar which includes telescoping polygonal tubes mounted on legs or supports with engine hooks depending therefrom for attachment to an engine. Thus, various products are of this type available in the marketplace including the following:
SPX Corporation transverse engine support bar Part 1724;
SPX Corporation support bar Model No. 1722;
SPX Corporation support bar Model No. 214068;
Snap On Corporation support assembly Model No. YA2670;
Power Train Equipment engine hanger; and
Miller Special Tools C-4852 engine support Catalog No. M-1151.
While the devices disclosed for such engine support are considered extremely useful, a problem arises when attempting their use in certain circumstances inasmuch as many vehicles, including vans, employ an engine compartment having a configuration which is not easily susceptible to installation and use of an engine support apparatus. That is, an engine compartment is typically defined by the front radiator support assembly and fender lips or shoulders on opposite sides of the engine compartment. Many vehicles incorporate a fender shoulder or lip, or a fender side, which slopes inwardly and downwardly toward the forward end of the vehicle engine compartment. As a consequence appropriate positioning and maintenance of the position of an engine support apparatus for supporting an engine within an engine compartment becomes extremely challenging. Thus, there has developed a need for an engine support system or apparatus for supporting an engine within the engine compartment of a vehicle which apparatus accommodates the various configurations and shapes of the engine compartment.
Briefly, the present invention comprises an engine support frame or apparatus for supporting a vehicle engine in the engine compartment of the vehicle wherein the compartment includes a fender lip on each of the opposite sides of the engine compartment and a radiator support at the forward end of the compartment. The engine support apparatus is comprised of a telescoping beam, which enables adjustment in length to accommodate or permit adjustment with respect to the width of the engine compartment which the beam will span. The engine support frame further includes specially constructed legs or feet at the opposite ends of the support beam. The legs are designed to allow adjustment in two degrees of motion; namely, an adjustment with respect to yaw or from side to side movement and an adjustment with respect to roll. The special legs or feet each include an arcuate saddle, which cooperates with a support pad affixed to the support beam. The support beam may be pivoted from side to side about the support pad to control the yaw of the beam relative to the foot. Further, the support pad may be adjusted within its arcuate saddle to control the roll of the beam relative to the foot. By virtue of such control, the beam may be maintained in a desired horizontal orientation and position over the engine and engine compartment since each foot may be adjusted relative to the beam to accommodate variances in the shape and configuration of the fender lips of the engine compartment.
In a preferred embodiment, the foot construction is provided at each end of the telescoping engine support beam so that the beam may be adjusted with respect to both sides of the engine compartment to thereby maintain the beam in a desired, generally horizontal engine support orientation. Further, a cross beam may be suspended between the main engine support beam and the front radiator support to provide a further engine support by attachment of hooks and other support elements to the engine.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide improved engine support frame or apparatus for suspending a vehicle engine in the engine compartment of a vehicle.
A further object of the invention is to provide an engine support frame construction, which permits adjustment of a support beam for the engine relative to feet which support the beam on the sides of the engine compartment and thereby accommodate variances in the shape and configuration of the engine compartment.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an engine support frame, which provides for adjustment of the orientation of the support beam of the assembly in at least two degrees of motion or movement.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an engine support frame, which can be easily adjusted to accommodate the configuration of the engine compartment and quickly lock into position by a manual operation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an engine support frame, which may be utilized with J-hooks, chains, links, right-angle brackets and various other types of other engine support elements.
A further object of the invention is to provide an engine support frame, which includes pivoting support legs, which pivot in one or more directions to provide secure support of the engine support frame assembly on a wide variety of engine compartment configurations.
Another object of the invention is to provide an especially rugged yet easily adjustable engine support frame assembly.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.